Kazakhstan Birding Tour

Overview:

Kazakhstan is one of the best birding destinations in Central Asia, with its diverse landscapes and wide range of bird species. There are over 520 bird species, including some rare birds such as Greater Flamingo, Red-breasted Goose, White-headed Duck, Griffon Vulture, Black Vulture, Imperial Eagle, Saker, Black Grouse, Siberian White Crane, Great, Houbara & Little Bustard, Sociable Lapwing, Pallas’s, Black-bellied and many more.

Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country by area and one of the most underrated tourist destinations. There are 34,500 lakes including some of the best birding sites such as Korgalzhyn Lake, Alakol Lake, Tengis Lake, Balkash Lake, Zaisan Lake and seas such as the Caspian and Aral Seas. Our Kazakhstan birding tour is based on the spring season from April to late May. This is the best time to capture the bird migration and gives you a great opportunity to enjoy very rare and beautiful birds. The tour is designed to visit the two main regions of Kazakhstan such as Almaty and Astana.

And it includes places like Taukum Desert, Karakol, Charyn River, Kaskelen Valley, Khorgalzhyn Lake and Tengis Lakes. It is one of the best planned expeditions that will allow you to enjoy a great birding experience.

During the expedition you can see Red-headed Bunting, Grey-crowned Goldfinch, White-crowned Penduline Tit, Azure Tit, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Blue Whistling Thrush, Blue-capped Redstart, White-tailed Rubythroat, Greater Flamingo, Red-breasted Goose, White-headed Duck, MacQueen’s Bustard, Black Vulture, Black Lark, White-winged Lark, Black-winged Pratincole, Slender-billed Gull, Common Crane, Siberian Eagle, Red-footed Falcon, Pallid Harrier and many more. During the trip you will be accompanied by the best local guide who has been working in birding for over 10 years and has a vast knowledge of the birds. You will also have the opportunity to experience the local traditions and visit the best attractions.

The expeditions start in Almaty and end in Astana. This is an all inclusive package tour where everything is taken care of in advance and all you need to do is prepare for birding and enjoy your expedition.

Itinerary:

Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest city. It lies at the foot of the Alatau Mountains. Almaty is a popular tourist destination and there are many must-see attractions. Our team will meet you on arrival at Almaty International Airport. You will be transferred to your hotel. Take your time and enjoy a welcome dinner at the restaurant in the evening. Overnight in a comfortable hotel in the city centre

The Charyn Canyon is one of the most beautiful attractions of Kazakhstan. The 150 km long canyon is reminiscent of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but in a smaller version. Charyn River is home to White-capped Bunting, Steppe Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Desert Wheatear, Grey-necked Bunting, White-capped Bunting, Himalayan Vulture, Pine Bunting, Richard’s Pipit and Red Crane. We stay at the tourist camp in the national park and take our expedition to the birding area each day.

The Taukum Desert is located on the south-western side of Lake Balkash and covers an area of 10,000 square kilometres. The sands of Taukum are represented by ridge-hummocky, hummocky and ridge-sand massifs, mainly located in the delta of the Ili River. The Taukum is home to a large number of birds such as Black-bellied Sandgrouse, MacQueen’s Bustard, Great Sand Plover, Caspian Plover, Brown-necked Raven, Long-legged Buzzard, Calandra Lark, Desert Finch, Little Bustard, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Bimaculated Lark, White-winged Woodpecker, Pallid Scops Owl, Black-headed Penduline Tit.

Today we take a domestic flight to Astana and drive to the Khorgalzhyn Nature Reserve. This is one of the best places for birdwatching. During the spring migration millions of birds can be seen between Korgalzhyn and Tengis lakes. The vast wetland area, a combination of untouched steppe and lakes, is home to rare birds such as Black-winged Pratincoles, Dalmatian Pelicans, White-headed Ducks, Red-necked Grebes, Eared Grebes, Whooper Swans, Greylag Geese, Red-crested Pochards, Caspian Terns, Black-headed Gulls, Booted Warblers, Pallid Harriers, Black and White-winged Larks and many more. The reserve is officially home to over 300 bird species.

After breakfast, drive back to Astana. Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan and one of the fastest growing cities in Central Asia. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel in the city centre. In the evening we will have a farewell dinner with the whole team.

Our Astana guide will drop you back to the Astana airport.

Thank you for coming!

Kazakhstan Birding Tour

Duration: 10-Days
Availability: Spring
Best time: April, May
Begin and end: Almaty / Astana
Tour type: Bird Watching
Price from: 1500 USD p.p

Our highlights

Charyn Canyon National Park, Charyn River
Taukum Desert, Balkash River
Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve

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Tour Price Includes

Transportation + fuel
Experienced driver
English speaking guide
All permits and fees
Eat & Drinks
All activities
Accommodation
Domestic flight Almaty-Astana

Tour price excludes

Personal needs
Alcoholic beverages
Gratitude

Tour details:

The packing list is based on birding in the wilderness. Please get dress according to the weather forecast and have a day pack. Make sure your camera and mobile phone are fully charged. Please also the following items: binocular, sunglasses, sunscreen, waterproof jacket, hiking boots, hand sanitizer, mosquito cream, toiletries. And please have some cash in case you want to go shopping or buy souvenirs.

Most attractions have their own toilet facilities. If you are driving between attractions or hiking in the wilderness, it may be an outdoor toilet, but generally there is no problem with toilets. Most hotels and guesthouses have showers. Laundry can be done with the help of the hotel staff.

Anyone who loves cultural tours, beautiful nature, historical sites and adventure is welcome to book this trip. This is one of the best planned expeditions with so many gems that everyone will find something for themselves.

Please do not hurt the feelings of the locals and respect their traditions. When visiting the mausoleum, mosque and other local sacred sites, please dress promptly. Please get ready for the trip at the scheduled time. And if there is any inconvenience, please inform your guide first. Generally, there are not many inconveniences on this trip, but let’s remember that we are travelling and try to enjoy the moment! The group atmosphere is important and as an experienced team we try to make the tour as enjoyable as possible and ask you to help us.

We are responsible for visiting the places and seeing the attractions that we have mentioned in our itinerary. We are responsible for guiding you with pleasure and giving you a great expediton.

We are not responsible for any unplanned inconvenience during the tour. We are not responsible for the traffic in the city and finally we are not responsible for the bad weather conditions that you have to be prepared for in advance.

– We ask that you book your trip as soon as possible. To ensure everything runs smoothly, bookings must be made at least two months in advance.

– If any of the attractions are not open, we will replace them with other highlights that are no less exciting.

– The tour is flexible and we can create your own personal expedition based on your wishes.

This tour is available all year round. The best time is from the end of March to November. During this period the weather is warm and in the middle of summer it gets very hot. However, in some mountainous areas you may feel cold due to the altitude and we ask you to pack a warm jacket in this case. Please check the weather forecast before you travel.

To confirm your trip we ask you to pay 600 USD DEPOSIT and the balance can be paid 2 months before the tour start date. We ask you to make your payment by bank transfer (SWIFT CODE)

Here is our cancellation policy that we recommend our clients follow.

Cancelling the tour within more than 2 months, 50% of your deposit payment will be rebussed (300 USD)

Cancellation within less than 1 month, the deposit will not be refunded (600 USD)

All accommodation is based on local standards and during the expedition you will stay in a variety of types of accommodation, ranging from a 4-star hotel in the centre of the capital to guesthouses in small villages. You will also have the opportunity to experience traditional yurts and lodges. We choose only the best options.

The expeditions cover three countries and you will have the opportunity to sample the most delicious dishes of Central Asia. There are many to choose from and we guarantee you will find your favourite. If you prefer to eat vegetarian or vegan, that is absolutely fine. Most restaurants have their own vegetarian and vegan dishes. On some days we may take our lunches in lunch boxes and eat them in the middle of nowhere, as this happens when we drive from one attraction to another and there is no place to eat on the way. And it will be an extra experience. We will have plenty of fresh bottled water and you can always ask for a snake. And please do not bring any stomach medicine with you, it very rarely happens that our clients have stomach problems when they try the local food.

You will be supported by the tour leader, who will be with you throughout the expedition, and local guides in each country. Each country has it’s own experienced local driver who will take us safely and smoothly. We will also visit several families in each country and enjoy their hospitality. And you can make new friends. Central Asian countries are very friendly and usually take good care of their guests.